Buying or selling an item usually entails informing others, generally strangers, of the item sought or being sold. Typically, the more people who are informed, the better the chances of finding or selling the item for an appropriate price. Traditional venues for advertising the item include newspapers and on-line auction sites. Nevertheless, posting in such venues can be expensive, particularly if the item will be posted in several newspapers or websites.
Another approach to spreading information about an item is using a distribution system, e.g., a plurality of brokers. For example, in the real estate industry, brokers represent property buyers and sellers. The brokers have access to information about demand, housing supply in a neighborhood and price information. Generally brokers work diligently to find a buyer or seller for their clients, and broker fees are reflective of this effort. Thus, it is cost prohibitive to hire multiple brokers, although doing so would increase the likelihood of completing a transaction.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and system for informing a large number of potential buyers and sellers about items for sale or for purchase without incurring the associated expenses of marketing and advertising. The present invention addresses such a need.